Olivier Tremblay covers the Montreal Impact for MLSsoccer.com
MONTREAL – Marco Di Vaio did extend his contract, but the decision wasn’t just his.
As he met the media on Friday morning, the Montreal Impact Designated Player explained how his family life affected whether or not he would continue in MLS. Di Vaio and the club finally came to an agreement on Tuesday, when the club exercised its option with the player’s blessing and rewarded him with a salary increase.
Di Vaio confirmed that it was his mother-in-law who fell ill this summer, when his wife and daughters went back to Italy. But as the situation improved, the family decided on the father carrying on in Montreal despite the inconveniences.
“I want to keep playing, and I can keep playing.”
- Marco Di Vaio
“I took time to make that decision, because I have to talk to my wife and make sure that she could stay in Italy by herself for a year,” Di Vaio said. “I want to keep on playing. It’s my life. So I want to thank my wife, my family and Joey [Saputo, club president].”
Di Vaio denied the various reports from Italy hinting that Bologna had approached him for a return on the field in Serie A, but he did corroborate those suggesting that the Rossoblù were already sewing his name to a club executive chair.
In fact, a deal was struck when Di Vaio signed for the Québec club which allowed him to leave for an executive job in Bologna come his contract’s end.
“But I’m not ready to be an executive,” Di Vaio said. “I want to keep playing, and I can keep playing. And the only team I’d play for is the Impact. I never thought about going back to play for Bologna. If I go back, it’s to make a change in my life, to do something else.”
“Alessandro [Nesta] is, for me, one of the best defenders in the world.”
But Di Vaio is already getting some practice. With the Impact announcing on Friday that the career of legendary defender – and best friend of Di Vaio’s – Alessandro Nesta would be celebrated before this Saturday’s game against the Philadelphia Union at Stade Saputo, likely signalling the end of his illustrious career, Joey Saputo revealed that Di Vaio had handed him a long list of potential replacements.
“A lot of players want to come here, but I don’t know that they’re the same level as Alessandro, Di Vaio said. “Alessandro is, for me, one of the best defenders in the world. … We are sad at this moment because he's finishing his career, but maybe he’ll continue to work in soccer.”
